G2160 won't start

[Rober88]

Hi,

First off, I don't have much experience with mechanical/electrical machines. So am feeling pretty lost here.

There's been start issues with this mower for a few years. I hear a click after the glow plug comes on and I turn the key, but the engine rarely started on the first try. Couple years ago, I'd just wait a few mins and try again and it'd work. Last year it was around 10mins. This year 20-40mins of trying to start and I'd eventually be successful.

Past half week it's not starting at all. I tried jump starting it today with my car but that didn't work either.

Is this even a battery issue? Do I bother charging it? Tested it with a multimeter..
At rest: 12.04v
Glow plug on: 11.45v
Full key turn: 11.28v


I'd like to give this a shot but don't even know where to find the solenoid as it's not shown/labeled in the owner's manual:

 

[Russell King]

Okay I will try to answer your question but don’t know what thread you are referring to so can NOT read it to know what the full context is.

But assuming the following:
I know very little about the age of your tractor or its specific safety features.
Your tractor won’t reliably start.
Define start as won’t spin the engine thus not starting.
Then eventually the engine will spin and start every time it spins the engine.

There is a small wire running from the key switch and then through each safety switch and ending at the STARTER solenoid. It is probably black with a white stripe with a push on spade terminal. Wire is the female terminal and the starter solenoid has a male spade terminal.

From the battery positive post there is a large (usually red) cable that connects to a post on the starter. There are other wires connected to the same post.

If you remove the small wire from the spade connection the male side will be a bare connection point. Applying 12 volt power to that small terminal should spin the starter and can start the engine if the key is in the run position. The 12 volt power source is usually the battery cable post on the starter. Often the jumper is a screwdriver or a wire. There will be sparks so don’t be too worried about that but it will happen and it is somewhat destructive to the small terminal.

So the discussion above seems to have been about add a new relay into the system or just directly jump the power to the starter solenoid (which is mounted to the starter and is usually a large round object).

There is a method to add a new relay that takes the power supply from the battery and the relay feeds the power to the starter solenoid when the key switch is turned to start. The black with white wire currently does that but in this situation it is used to tell the new relay to close the new power path described in this paragraph.

Jumping the starter does have some risks of the tractor starting and running over the person if the tractor is in gear and starts. So put the tractor on jack stands or be safe however you want to. I would have a second person around just in case it goes bad if you have never done this before.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Okay I will try to answer your question but don’t know what thread you are referring to so can NOT read it to know what the full context is.

But assuming the following:
I know very little about the age of your tractor or its specific safety features.
Your tractor won’t reliably start.
Define start as won’t spin the engine thus not starting.
Then eventually the engine will spin and start every time it spins the engine.

There is a small wire running from the key switch and then through each safety switch and ending at the STARTER solenoid. It is probably black with a white stripe with a push on spade terminal. Wire is the female terminal and the starter solenoid has a male spade terminal.

From the battery positive post there is a large (usually red) cable that connects to a post on the starter. There are other wires connected to the same post.

If you remove the small wire from the spade connection the male side will be a bare connection point. Applying 12 volt power to that small terminal should spin the starter and can start the engine if the key is in the run position. The 12 volt power source is usually the battery cable post on the starter. Often the jumper is a screwdriver or a wire. There will be sparks so don’t be too worried about that but it will happen and it is somewhat destructive to the small terminal.

So the discussion above seems to have been about add a new relay into the system or just directly jump the power to the starter solenoid (which is mounted to the starter and is usually a large round object).

There is a method to add a new relay that takes the power supply from the battery and the relay feeds the power to the starter solenoid when the key switch is turned to start. The black with white wire currently does that but in this situation it is used to tell the new relay to close the new power path described in this paragraph.

Jumping the starter does have some risks of the tractor starting and running over the person if the tractor is in gear and starts. So put the tractor on jack stands or be safe however you want to. I would have a second person around just in case it goes bad if you have never done this before.

These machines are notorious for this problem. Oddly enough my G2460 (gasser is trouble free.

Its not the starter, ignition switch, battery or battery cables. Its gremlins in the safety interlock start circuit. I gave up trying to find and evict them

I can show you how to bypass that circuit and jumper the starter if you want. Works everytime and there is no danger of the tractor running over you.

Dan

 

[Rober88]

These machines are notorious for this problem. Oddly enough my G2460 (gasser is trouble free.

Its not the starter, ignition switch, battery or battery cables. Its gremlins in the safety interlock start circuit. I gave up trying to find and evict them

I can show you how to bypass that circuit and jumper the starter if you want. Works everytime and there is no danger of the tractor running over you.

Dan

Yes, please!

Let me know if you'd like me to take some photos under the hood of my mower so you could maybe point out where to do what.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Yes, please!

Let me know if you'd like me to take some photos under the hood of my mower so you could maybe point out where to do what.

I will take some pictures and post tomorrow.

Dan

 

[lmichael]

I did the mod way back like 4 years ago when I first got the machine. Only issue ever since has been, the Interstate battery I bought at Costco died earlier this summer. Only place I could easily find a new one "reasonably" was at Costco again. So, I installed a new one from there. Otherwise the machine starts first time every time. Adding the relay is a safe and relatively easy thing to do. And inexpensive to boot. It's what I recommend. You can also add a starter button but, I did not want to add another "step" to starting. Turn the key and fire it up

 

[Rober88]

I did the mod way back like 4 years ago when I first got the machine...

You're talking to a guy that just learned how to use a multimeter yesterday. I mean if you could explain/show the process like you're talking to a 12 year old then I'm all ears.

I saw your pics in the original quoted thread and am still a little confused.

Anyway, I really just need to cut this grass now. Wife recently had a newborn so I haven't had time to look at the mower till now. Grass hasn't been cut in 3 weeks. Years ago, a neighbor once called the city because it was too tall.

 

[lmichael]

I am not that good of a writer. No promises but I will try and get very detailed photos of mine showing what wires go where, plus a parts list.

 

[TheOldHokie]

You're talking to a guy that just learned how to use a multimeter yesterday. I mean if you could explain/show the process like you're talking to a 12 year old then I'm all ears.

I saw your pics in the original quoted thread and am still a little confused.

Anyway, I really just need to cut this grass now. Wife recently had a newborn so I haven't had time to look at the mower till now. Grass hasn't been cut in 3 weeks. Years ago, a neighbor once called the city because it was too tall.

Open the hood. On the right side of the engine there is a red rubber boot on the big wirecgoing to the starter. That is the battery wire. Pull the boot back to expose the terminal. Right behid that terminal is a smaller wire with push on connector. Puul the connector back enough to expose the bare terminal.

Now get a short (6") piece of insulated wire (solid preferred.) and strip 1/2" on both ends. Set the parking brake on the tractor, disengage the blade, and turn the ignition switch to glow plug preheat. When the glow plug light goes out let the key return to run and immefiately touch the ends of the wire to the two terminals on the back of the starter. It will crank and the tractor will start. Stow the wire inside the engine compartment for future use and go mow your grass.

Dan

 

[TheOldHokie]

Here are a couple pixtures to illustrate hoq you jumper a starter.

The first picture shows the two terminals on the back of the starter.

Tye second picture is the gren jumper wire I keep hoojed in the hole on the top of the radiator screen.

I have a starter switch similar to the one in the third picture that "someday" I will get mounted in the dash to replace the jumper wire and make the process just like using the key.

 

[Rober88]

Open the hood. On the right side of the engine there is a red rubber boot on the big wirecgoing to the starter. That is the battery wire. Pull the boot back to expose the terminal. Right behid that terminal is a smaller wire with push on connector. Puul the connector back enough to expose the bare terminal.

Now get a short (6") piece of insulated wire (solid preferred.) and strip 1/2" on both ends. Set the parking brake on the tractor, disengage the blade, and turn the ignition switch to glow plug preheat. When the glow plug light goes out let the key return to run and immefiately touch the ends of the wire to the two terminals on the back of the starter. It will crank and the tractor will start. Stow the wire inside the engine compartment for future use and go mow your grass.

Dan

It worked! Thank you for taking the time to help. Your instructions were great.
It's a little tricky as one person to put one's foot on the break, turn the key and place the wire correctly but I got the hang of it and it starts immediately.

Thank you again!! Had acres of grass to cut but was so happy to do it.
This is going to save me so much time and money!

 

[TheOldHokie]

It worked! Thank you for taking the time to help. Your instructions were great.
It's a little tricky as one person to put one's foot on the break, turn the key and place the wire correctly but I got the hang of it and it starts immediately.

Thank you again!! Had acres of grass to cut but was so happy to do it.
This is going to save me so much time and money!

You are welcome.

No need to hold your foot on the brake while you jumper the terminals. Just set the parking brake lock.

Dan